Stars Coming Out To Honor Legendary Mechanic Davey Brown Friday At Williams Grove

Story By: SHAWN BROUSE / WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY – MECHANICSBURG, PA – The stars are lining up to come out and celebrate the career of 86-year old legendary mechanic Davey Brown Sr. coming up this Friday night, May 28 at Williams Grove Speedway when the oval hosts the All Stars Circuit of Champions Sprints $10,000-to-win Davey Brown Tribute Race.

Racing action on the track with the All Stars will begin at 7:30 pm but the pre-race action to honor Brown and his career will begin in the infield at 5:45with a special presentation planned for intermission.

Slated to be on hand for a one hour live Facebook broadcast on Beer Hill Gang TV and the meet and greet session starting at 5:45 are some of the sports biggest drivers, car owners and mechanics that have come to know and work with Brown best.

Elite sprint car and modified driver Billy Pauch, who wheeled the John Zemaitis No. 1 sprint car for Brown in the 1990s, has confirmed his attendance along with Zemaitis himself.

Racing brothers James and PJ Chesson are also slated to appear along with Lynn Paxton as drivers that worked Brown’s steering wheels during their careers spanning the 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s and 2000’s.

Others expected to be on hand include mechanics Dave Yingst and Lee Stauffer along with the sons of Bobby Gearhart Sr. and Bob Weikert.

Brown wrenched for driver Gearhart to much success in the 1960s and for owner Weikert with driver Doug Wolfgang in the 1980s when the sky was the limit for the legendary team.

More recently, Brown has been wrenching for Lance Dewease since 2016 and for driver/car owner Don Kreitz Jr. since 1999 and both men will be on hand to celebrate as well along with Dewease’s Kreitz-owned No. 69K machine until 6:30.

And, in celebration of Brown’s upcoming 87th birthday on May 31, fans are invited to help celebrate in the infield with free birthday cake beginning at 5:45.

Davey Brown Sr. began his racing career as a mechanic and a driver in jalopies along with his friend Johnny Mackison Sr. in 1953.

Brown soon dropped the driving career and went on to build engines, fabricate and turn wrenches for many of the sports elite drivers throughout history including but not limited to Johnny Mackison Sr., Bobby Gearhart Sr., Paul Pitzer, Toby Tobias, Mitch Smith, Kramer Williamson, Doug Wolfgang, Kenny Jacobs, Lynn Paxton, Cris Eash,. Billy Pauch, the Chesson brothers, Don Kreitz Jr. and Lance Dewease.

Perhaps only the great Karl Kinser commands the respect and notoriety that Brown does within the sprint car community and racing annals and it’s that contribution to the sport and his legacy that Williams Grove Speedway will honor this Friday.

Led by Ian Madsen, Cory Eliason, Justin Peck, Tyler Courtney and others, the All Stars Sprint Cars drivers will be out in full force to claim the Brown Tribute Race laurels and the cool 10K that will come with the 30-lap victory.

The holiday weekend kickoff racing special will be a “sprints only” racing program complete with a fireworks display.

Race time is set for 7:30 pm with gates opening at 5:30.

Adult general admission for the May 28 racing program is set at $25 with students ages 13-20 admitted for just $10.

Kids ages 12 and under are always admitted for FREE at Williams Grove Speedway.